TO ERITREA WITH LOVE

The polygamy hoax that spread from Iraq to Eritrea

A false rumour that men in Eritrea would be legally obliged to marry at least two women went viral this week. But it's a hoax that has hit at least four countries to date, and actually began in Iraq, where it wasn't as implausible as it seems.

When a far fetched story about enforced polygamy in Eritrea began circulating, it captured attention across the continent. But in fact similar stories - all of them false - have cropped up in a number of countries since the beginning of the year.

And in each case, the way hoaxers spread the rumour on social media pretty much identical. Here's how it plays out.

An "official" government document is leaked on social media, bearing a letterhead, or the signature of a supposed dignitary.

It reads - and we're paraphrasing here - "Due to the recent troubles in our country, we are experiencing a serious shortage of men, and an abundance of woman. Men are now legally required to take at least two wives, and any that fail to do so will face strict punishment." The punishments range from life imprisonment to the death penalty.

When a version of the falsified document appeared in Eritrea this week - as the BBC has already reported - it went viral, and was picked up by a number of news organisations as fact.

The Eritrean government has since been battling to set the story straight, dismissing the document as a fraud, and explaining that polygamy is illegal in the East African nation. It hasn't been able to stop chatter spreading on social media, and a raft of jokes at the countries expense. But more on those later.

Although the rumour about Eritrea went viral, it isn't the first country to be hit by the hoax. At least three other countries have been the subject of the same story, which appears to have begun in Iraq.

A letter mocked up using an official looking letterhead began circulating there early in January, making the same declaration. Because of the country's recent woes, men who failed to take at least two wives would be punished by death, it read.

Of course, it was a hoax as well, but it may not have seemed as absurd a proposition as it did later in other countries. Back in 2011  that Iraqi politicians were considering offering men financial incentives to marry a second wife. Years of conflict have left the country with more than a million war widows, and a shortage of unmarried men. The proposals were never enacted.

Following Iraq, a near-identical hoax document surfaced claiming to be from the government of Sudan. And Arabic news sites suggest a similar letter supposedly from officials in Saudi Arabia was circulated as well - before the story about Eritrea cropped up.

And the rumour about Eritrea? That actually began in Kenya and Nigeria. It was first reported by Kenyan news site Crazy Monday, well known for its focus on gossip stories according to Mathias Muindi from the BBC's media monitoring service. The story was picked up and reported as fact in Nigeria and later South Africa as well.

It spread quickly, and it wasn't long before jokes stared spreading on social networks like WhatsApp and Twitter, mostly involving men from outside the country flocking to Eritrea in the hope of finding multiple wives.

Zika Virus

What is Zika virus:

                                               Zika virus infection is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, usually causing mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain.  

The virus was isolated for the first time in 1947 in the Zika forest in Uganda. Since then, it has remained mainly in Africa, with small and sporadic outbreaks in Asia. In 2007, a major epidemic was reported on the island of Yap (Micronesia), where nearly 75% of the population was infected. 

In May 2015, the public health authorities of Brazil confirmed the transmission of Zika virus in the northeast of the country. Since October 2015, other countries and territories of the Americas have reported the presence of the virus.

Symptoms:

• About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
• The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
• The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
• Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.
• Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
• Deaths are rare.

Diagnosis:

• The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika.
• See your healthcare provider if you develop the symptoms described above and have visited an area where Zika is found.
• If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled.
• Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.
• 

Treatment:

• No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or treat Zika infections.
• Treat the symptoms:
  • Get plenty of rest
  • Drink fluids to prevent dehydration
  • Take medicines, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain
  • Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication.
• If you have Zika, avoid mosquito bites for the first week of your illness.
  • During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito bites.
  • An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.

Facts to know about Islam Religion

Islam is one of the most talked and followed religions in the world in today’s world. It is one of the oldest and most successful religions in the world with its followers found in each and every country of the world. There are many countries in the world like Iraq, Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, UAE, and Russia with Muslim population dominating the nation with as much as 99% in some countries. The statistics say that there are about 1.2 billion Islam followers in the world. Islam is a religion that is complete in every sense. It guides its followers on each and every issue that mankind faces and will ever face. Social, political, economical, personal, married life, divorce, children, property settlement etc all the possible matter are discussed in detail under Islam. Thus Islam has made living very easy for its believers as they simply have to follow the guidelines that have been stated for them. Although Islam is such a widespread religion not many of us understand the concept of Islam. It is in true sense an authentic religion and this is making Islam so popular these days. More and more people are accepting Islam each day all over the world. It is impossible to capture the teachings of Islam in one article but I will try to explain some important aspects about Islam here. The following are the top 10 facts about Islam that you should know.

 1. Kalma (shahadah)

Islam stands on one belief that is called tawheed. The kalma says that Allah is one and only one and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is his messenger. Thus it is to be remembered that Islam does not just believe in Allah but also in his messenger. A person practicing Islam cannot compare or combine anyone with the almighty. He prays only to Allah and does all that prophet did in his life. A firm belief in Allah, his messengers, his books, in angels, death and after life is a part of Islam. A person disagreeing to any of this has incomplete faith.

2. Religion of peace

In the past 12 to 15 years Islam has been tagged as the religion of terror. It has been spread in the masses that Islam peaches violence. This is wrong to the core. Anyone who practices violence in the name of Islam is not a Muslim in the first place. Islam teaches peace. It promotes equality and affection. Islam says forgiving is better than revenge. The Islamic literature has given many incidents where the soldiers who accepted defeat were allowed to go safely and were even protected. When prophet (pbuh) was brutally hit by a tribe and he was dripping of his blood he chose to forgive them instead of taking revenge. Islam has no relation with terror and terrorist has no ties with Islam.

3. Pillars of Islam

Islam basically stand on 5 pillars 2 of which are situational. The three compulsory ones are Tawheed that is accepting that Allah is one and Prophet is his messenger. Second is Salat that is offering of prayers five times in a day. Third pillar is of Ramadan that is fasting from sunrise to sunset in the holy month of Ramadan. These three things are essentials and are to be fulfilled by everyone. The 2 situational ones are performing Hajj at least ones in lifetime and paying zakat. These depend on the person’s financial state and therefore are situational. If the person falls in the category then it is a compulsion for him to do Hajj and pay zakat.

 4. Zakat (tax)

No religion on this Earth makes payment of tax as a part of religion. It is one of the pillars on which Islam stands. Every Muslim is required to pay zakat which is 2.5% of his annual savings and property. The amount can be given as per the payers wish to any needy he wants. He can give it to charitable institutes or some poor neighbor. A thing to remember here is that zakat money cannot be utilized for religious works like building a mosque or given to caretaker for use in the mosque. It is for the needy and poor less fortunate people around you. It is not necessary for the receiver to be a Muslim. The zakat can be given irrespective of the religion.

5. Science and Islam

No other religion has so much in common with the science. Quran that is the book of Islam talks about all the things that have happened and that will happen. Scientists found out that Quran that was written 1400 years back had mentioned about the existence of an atom and nucleus. It had mentioned about the occurrence of rains. It had mentioned about the flow of fresh and salt water in the ocean. It had talked about the importance of mountains on land, the appearance of a fetus. These were all found to be perfectly correct. But scientists came to know all this recently with the help of technology. A book 1400 years back could say all this when there was no technology. Hence looking at the sync science had with Quran verses many research institutes started using this book as a reference for their unknown answers.

6. Holy Quran

Quran is the holy book of the Muslims. It is originally an Arabic text which has now been translated into many languages all over the world. Many people do not know about the origin of Quran. It was delivered through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a total of 23 years around 1400 years back. A thing to know here is that Quran was not created by him but he was just a medium through whom the text or message was delivered. He never wrote the Quran. History states that Prophet Muhammad did not know to read or write. So he could not have written such a brilliant book or learnt from somewhere. Quran is purely a work of the almighty. In it are the direct words of Allah to his followers. It is the only text in the world that exists in an authentic form. Quran has been accepted by scholars of all religion as an authentic literature.

7. Women in Islam

It has prevailed in the society for quite a long time that in Islam women are kept subordinate to men. It is a wrong belief. Islam has always preached equality of sexes since the beginning. In Islam a women is given all the rights. She has the right to agree or disagree on a marriage proposal. She has the right to education. She also has the right to do business. All this is permissible provided she is taking care of her hijab. If there are complications she has the right to demand a divorce and can also remarry. Whether to feed her baby or not is her decision entirely and no one can force her on anything. Islam greatly condemns female feticide. The position of women is evident from the beautiful relation Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had with his daughter Fatima (rau).

8. Hajj

I am sure everyone is familiar with this term Hajj. Hajj is the annual pilgrimage of the Muslims. Every year thousands of Muslims gather in the city of Mecca to perform Hajj. Mecca is a city is Saudi Arabia. It is a cubical stone structure called Kaba covered in black cloth. A very common misconception people have is that Muslims worship the kaba. It is totally wrong. Muslims do not worship anyone other than the almighty Allah. Kaba is just a symbol of unity and uniformity. Revolving around it in Hajj is a symbol of obedience to God. In no way kaba is worshiped. Islamic texts say that in the past people have stood over Kaba to say Azan (call of prayer). If it was worshiped people would have not stood on it. It is a very important fact to know that Kaba is only a monument that symbolizes unity for Muslims.

9. Attire

Islam has stated in its teachings even the way Muslim men and women are suppose to dress themselves. Muslim men are not supposed to wear clothes that go below their ankle or above their knees. It is compulsory for Muslim men to endorse a beard. For women the hijab is very important. Women are supposed to wear dresses that do not reveal their body frame. Women are not supposed to interact with other men and that is the reason women in Islam wear a cloak called “Burqa”. This is to protect the women from the satanic thoughts and actions of the evil men around. Same is applicable to men. They are not supposed to interact or even look at other women.

10. Marriage

Most of the people around sadly even Muslims do not understand the guidelines for marriage under Islam. You will find men saying with pride that a Muslim man is allowed to marry four times. It is true but there are a few conditions to be followed here. Firstly if a man is re marrying with his wife still alive and not divorced then he needs to seek permission from his wife for a second marriage. If the wife allows only then he can get married again. If he divorces the wife he needs to fulfill all her responsibilities and take care of children if any. It is a misconception that men are allowed to do anything in Islam. So yes a man is allowed to four times but only under certain conditions. It is applicable to women as well. A widow or a divorcee is given all the rights to get married again.

Why we miss our childhood

“Childhood”. The word fills your heart with so much of delight and handful of memories. Everyone surely has a different reason to cherish his/her childhood.

1. Innocence

“Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man”, said Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s words can’t be overlooked. It highlights the innocent, divine and beautiful life a child leads. It clearly rates this phase over all others. Childhood’s greatest advantage is its innocence. A child’s life is prattle, scribble, laugh, play and enjoy. He is innocent. He is unaware. He is pampered. He is protected. Adults lack the innocence of childhood. A child’s greatest virtue is his innocence. It can never be attained again. This makes his life pure and beauteous. Innocence that a child has can be never got back at any stage of life again. The key to all his happiness is his innocence. This makes it the most significant reason to miss one’s childhood.

2. Free of troubles

A child is free of all troubles. He is a responsibility of his parents, and he has no responsibilities of his own. He hardly has anything to care about, dresses, looks, money, living, relationships or house. This is a major reason to miss childhood. The biggest fear of every one’s life is worries, and childhood is totally abstained from them.

3. Memories

What makes every special moment so special? What makes life worthwhile? What makes relations important? Why do we need pictures? To all these questions, is a common answer. Memories. Memories are what makes a life meaningful. A bunch of beautiful childhood memories, a huge photo album containing childhood pictures, can perfectly make your day. Childhood memories are the most beautiful ones, for its innocence, fun, love and carelessness. These memories are ironically the most faded ones. Though, they are unique. Infact they make the most special set of memories for any person’s life.

4. True friends

At workplace or college, we hardly get what we call a true friend. We all aim to excel, after school. We all are competitors. No one really is a well wisher. Though this competition is there even at school, it becomes a competition for life after that time. This is a cut throat world. We all live to survive the best way. Everyone’s first motives become self driven, leading to loss of real friendship. The selfless, carefree, friends forever, at school, can never be gained again in life. Also, the long years one spends at school and home, with a common bunch of friends, makes childhood friends closer than any other. They know each other the most and the understanding and bond one shares with them can very rarely be regained in the latter life.

5. Guided

Children need guidance, because they are children. As a child grows up, he slowly separates from his parents. He has to take his own decisions and decide things for himself all alone. This becomes difficult many times, leading one to wrong decisions. At such stages of life, we really miss being kids. We miss being under the evergreen guidance of our parents and teachers. With age, comes self respect. We can’t afford to depend on others for every little thing. We have our own deal of responsibilities and issues. We have to look after them on our own. These things makes a grown up. We get independent. But at many stages of life, this independence, that we always yearn for as a child, becomes a burden for us. We miss the expert guidance of our parents. We miss the warmth of their support. Though a parent never leaves his child alone, emotionally, with changes in life, all time guidance is lost by a child.

6. Protected

A child is under the shadow of his parents. At school he is protected by hundreds of teachers and staff. This is a big thing. One cannot always go out everywhere with his parents. He can’t depend on them, forever. He can’t always be protected at school. As we grow up we are freer. “With freedom comes great responsibility”. In this world, this freedom has become so much more dangerous. Situations change, a girl has to step out of her house, and she is treated like a public entity. She is molested, she is harassed. Her life is ruined. She is traumatised for life. Though today even children are not free of this. Another example is of the life we lead in hostels. Many thousands of children leave home and go to colleges to off places. And many of them get into troubles, trapped in wrong habits. They end up ruining their life. All this is only a result of the lack of shelter a child gets from his parents, because since he loses protection, and gets freedom, he/she is not always capable of dealing with it successfully, sometimes under the societal circumstances, sometimes under moral and emotion circumstances.

7. Small world

A child’s world is limited. He is confined within the little world of his. Playing, school and a bunch of funny little friends is what he has. He knows fun, love, play, happiness and school. That’s where a child’s world ends. It starts, and it ends. It is less. And “less is always more”. Children live a restricted life, with fewer things to do. What does a child have to do? Get up, go to school, play, study, eat and sleep. End of his world. He has no obligations or responsibilities. He is free to choose what he wants to do, for the limited number of things he has. While, after growing up, our world expands, there are hundred things we have to do every day. Many of them are just obligations, many of them are just responsibilities. We have to do them even if we don’t like them. We have to be concerned for our duties. Thus, everything changes with time, making childhood a stage to be missed the most.

8. Unaware

As we say “ignorance is bliss”. Though the phrase is a negative one, a child’s ignorance to the world can prove that ignorance really is bliss sometimes. A child is unaware of the world. He has negligible worldly concerns. A child’s life is free of all the vices of this world, like, greed, ambition, pride, corruption and wealth. This ignorance that comes to him naturally makes the key to his happiness. It is vices that trap us, and virtues that free us. A child’s strength is his unawareness.  A child has no idea that such things exist. This being a major reason for us to miss childhood, for never in life can one get back to that stage, where he won’t be wrapped in all the filthiness of the world. With childhood, passes the unconscious life where there are only smiles and goodness.

9. Closer to family

A child is always close to his family, atleast to his parents/ guardians. This closeness makes his life a lot easier and nice. One can share everything with their parents and doesn’t have to face troubles alone. There are no burdens on a child’s shoulders. He can speak about every problem to his/her parents. This is because a child’s issues are such that they can be shared with parents. But as a child grows up, he feels the lack of understanding, generation gap and difference of opinion. With education and exposure a child builds his own opinions, and they often contradict with his parents. Due to these reasons, a child alienates himself from sharing and opening upto his parents at the latter stages of life. Also, with time, he gets separated from his parents. Studies, job and marriage, are the various reasons why a child, as he grows up has to leave his/her family and move to another place, thus getting geographically separated. A child though, always misses the closeness and warmth he/she had with one’s parents after attaining the age when they have to be independent for all reasons.

10. Subtle

It is famously said, “If you give some time looking at the simple things, they are the most beautiful ones”.  Childhood is one of those simple and beautiful things. The reason to miss childhood lies in its subtleness. A child’s life is simple, in not one or two but many ways. He has no troubles, no concerns, no emotional or mental pressure, he is free of all complexities. A child’s undeveloped mental and emotional mind is a big cause for this. The simple lifestyle, grounded aims, unaware heart, unstirred emotions, freedom from social restrictions and tenderness of life makes childhood a thing to be missed always.

Learning English is Must to survive in this world

The universal language, English is indeed the most prevalent language in the world. Looking at its largest number of speakers, it is acknowledged as the primary language, internationally. English has become the chief language today, for the global trade, social media networks and websites, science and research centers, educational institutions and for maximum number of immigrants and travelers all over the world.

English language is rapidly spreading worldwide for several crucial purposes and there are multiple reasons why one must learn English. So, here are the top most important ones.

1 . ENDOWS SOCIAL STATUS

At most of the places, in social parties, family gatherings and official meetings, English speakers are highly regarded and coveted. The people who are good and fluent at speaking English, doubtlessly surpass the others. Appropriate knowledge of English has become a status symbol apart from being simply a useful secondary language in almost all the countries of the world. Adept English speakers in all such social circles are highly admired and looked upon with respect as it is really good as well as important to know this internationally used language.

2. FOR PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS

One of the most important benefit of learning English is its use in every single professional arena. It is the widely accepted language that must be known to anyone aiming for a bright career and a progressive professional background. Employers in the corporate world, educational institutes and in the fashion or film industries seek for applicants having good command over English. The candidates knowing english are preferred mainly for the jobs in translation, travel, international business and for other exciting and creative positions.

3. ACCESS TO COMPUTER

For anyone desiring to have access to the computer applications, it is a must to learn English as almost all the computer software programs and applications are created using the English language. If one wants to hone his/her computer knowledge then he/she must be skilled enough in English for understanding the terminology and commands that are written in English. The bulk of computer’s applications and all knowledge is in English and can be easily incorporated by learning English.

4. ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMY AND BUSINESS

In the present economy, statistics show that an average of 22 out of 30 companies say that English is of great essence for a business to thrive and for an economy’s growth. This is because it provides much wider ways, not only to trade effectively in the international market but also to express and discuss business issues efficiently. Most of the memos, transactions, business emails, reports and documents are written in English. Moreover, nowadays when there is a rapidly spreading trend of outsourcing or overseas jobs then aspirants adept in the language can make money by participating in the business deals taking place in the western countries.

5. ITS ADVANTAGEOUS WHEN YOU TRAVEL

English is the most widespread language in all parts of the world. And, this is the reason why it is used very commonly by the travelers and tourists. Local people of most of the countries use English to communicate with their visitors. If you can proficiently communicate in English then it becomes quiet easier for you to enquire about accommodations, rents or food, anywhere you go. There is a better opportunity for you to explore more freely about the places you travel and you need not be entirely dependent on some guide who can convey to you in your native language.

6. HELPS IN UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

The English language helps in understanding various emerging as well as the most ancient cultures of the world. English language itself determines the culture and civilization of the place of its origination and of the places where it is spoken. Thus we can say that this language provides an insight into the niceties of the lives the people in the world. English being a globally accepted language holds a special significance in writing up of books that describe various shades of different civilizations. Also, when most people are familiar with the language then there is more opportunity for everyone to express their own culture to the world.

7. INTERNET USES ENGLISH

Access to Internet provides an instant way of gathering any kind of information on various topics and there is an ultimate need of being familiar with the English language in order to access that information over the web. Today, approximately 55% of all the written content on the internet is in English. Therefore, if you know English then you can have a much better and faster approach to the subject matter available on the web. Moreover, we can notice the rise in use of the language by the internet users with the growing popularity of the social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

8. EDUCATION AND RESEARCHES

There are a huge number of universities, colleges and research institutions all over the world that use English as a means of teaching and performing researches. It is easier for professors, teachers or educationists well versed with the language to participate in forums and discussions, English language being the means of scientific and educational discourse. It is well known that English is the language of science as 90% of the scientific journals are written in English and one must cognize it in order to excel in science and day-to-day technology.

9. USED IN ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA

The media today uses English language as a medium for a large number of films and entertainment programs. It is one of the good reasons for learning English that, majority of world’s top movies and entertainment shows are being produced in English. Even various movies produced in different languages are being watched all over the world with English subtitles. Apart from the world of media, English is also primarily being used in publishing books and magazines. Several captivating and highly informative books, today are published in English.

10. GLOBALLY ACCEPTED

English is the only language dominating the International business and political structure throughout the world. Most of the countries in the world, despite having their own languages recognize English as a major language for communication. It is the globally accepted language that can be regarded as an important medium of information either it be business, academics, science and research, transportation, politics or entertainment.